Exploring the Future of Virtual Exhibitions for Hybrid Businesses

Event Management

June 12, 2024

The past few years have witnessed a seismic shift in business operations, with remote and hybrid working patterns becoming increasingly prevalent.

Virtual events, once seen as a temporary solution, have evolved into a viable and often preferred alternative to traditional in-person meetings. Webinars and digital exhibitions, in particular, have undergone a transformative few years, with organizers and attendees alike recognizing the benefits and challenges of the digital format.

This article explores the reasons for hosting virtual events, and how even companies who maintain a physical presence have needed to adapt to accommodate the hybrid approaches adopted by the majority of companies. As a result, businesses and fundraising organizations are embracing virtual events to stay connected, engage with audiences, and present their products and services.

Benefit from Hosting Virtual Exhibitions

One of the most significant advantages of virtual exhibitions is their ability to transcend geographical boundaries. Participants from around the world can attend and engage with exhibitors without the need for costly travel arrangements. This not only broadens the reach of the event but also fosters greater inclusivity and accessibility.

Additionally, online exhibitions offer cost-effective solutions for both organizers and exhibitors. According to one study, the average cost per attendee for a virtual event is $23, compared to a far higher cost of $1,129 per delegate for a physical event. The elimination of physical venue rental fees, staffing requirements, and logistical expenses can result in substantial savings, allowing for a more efficient allocation of resources. For entrepreneurs and SMEs on a limited budget, such savings are worth realizing.

Virtually showcase an Engaging Product

One of the key advantages of virtual exhibitions is the ability to showcase products, such as large or complex equipment that benefits from being viewed, experimented with in a controlled and immersive environment. For some organizers, virtual events eliminate spatial limitations, enhancing the demonstration of specific items which can be crucial. In industries such as sports, fitness, or commercial equipment, virtual exhibitions offer a unique opportunity to highlight their offerings in a way that prioritizes viewer engagement and provides a sales-focused demonstration.

Set a Virtual Stage

When preparing for a virtual exhibition, it’s essential to carefully plan and design the digital space. This includes considering the spatial requirements for showcasing larger equipment or products that require a specific setup. For example, golf simulators with unique ceiling-based monitors would be difficult to reach and operate in person, making a virtual demonstration more practical. Digital events also ensure a higher number of people will view and understand these types of product demos that are harder to depict in physical arenas.

Virtual events are an opportunity to create a replica of the desired exhibition space, from a sporting arena or remote location that can’t easily be illustrated, or translated realistically, in physical event spaces. For efficient product launches, therefore, businesses can meticulously plan their digital layout, flooring, and surrounding areas to design an outstanding viewing experience for attendees.

To create a memorable online event, exploring and experimenting with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies can be a vantage point. Businesses can create impressive immersive and interactive product demonstrations that allow attendees to experience and inspect products up close. Using simulations and on-screen graphics shows interested buyers how to operate large equipment while being guided by experienced product specialists. They also allow oversized products and gadgets to be shown in a realistic, safe, and immersive setting.

Promote Unique Selling Points

Virtual exhibitions are an excellent opportunity for businesses to showcase their products detailed and unique selling points. They incorporate interactive elements, such as 360-degree product views, close-ups, and real-time demos, that invite attendees to see the product’s best features and how they work in practice.

Whatever you’re showcasing at an online event, there are multiple ways to organize a creative product launch to ensure those winning attributes really stand out to attendees. For smaller products, virtual exhibitions offer the chance to present intricate details and unique features that might be challenging to convey in a traditional setting. Attendees can zoom in, rotate, and explore products from various angles, gaining a deeper appreciation for their design and functionality.

Facilitate Online Engagement and Interaction

While virtual exhibitions may lack the face-to-face interactions of traditional events, they can still foster engagement and interaction through innovative approaches. While virtual exhibitions present numerous advantages, they also come with their own set of challenges. Technical issues, such as unstable internet connections or compatibility problems, can disrupt the flow of the event and diminish the overall experience.

People are less likely to pay attention during an online event with 67% of workers admitting to being distracted so it’s important to capture and keep viewers’ attention. This is why planning to engage in live chat functions, Q&A sessions, and digital product demonstrations can create opportunities and encourage attendees to ask questions, provide feedback, and engage with product experts in real-time.

Likewise, interactive quizzes or challenges encourage attendees to actively participate and learn about their products in an engaging and entertaining manner. It’s also important to promote products effectively and foster meaningful connections with attendees and prospective buyers during and after a virtual event.

Future of Virtual Exhibitions

As the event industry continues to evolve, it is crucial to reflect on the lessons learned from the rapid adoption of virtual exhibitions. Organizers and businesses alike must remain agile and adaptable, continually refining their approaches based on participant feedback and emerging best practices. Similarly, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity should remain a top priority. Virtual exhibitions offer an opportunity to reach a broader audience, but organizers must be mindful of potential barriers, such as languages, disability accommodations, and digital literacy gaps.

While the convenience and cost-effectiveness of virtual events are undeniable, organizers must strive to replicate the energy and excitement of in-person gatherings through the creative use of technology and interactive elements. Event organizers and businesses must remain at the forefront, utilizing emerging tools and techniques to create immersive, engaging, and inclusive experiences.

By planning regular virtual events, businesses can position themselves for success in an ever-changing hybrid and workplace landscape. For those willing to embrace change and reimagine the way they connect with audiences, there are fantastic opportunities to stand out from the crowd. Find out how to streamline your online meetings and events in one easy-to-use virtual event management platform.

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8 Tips for Your Hybrid or Virtual Event Marketing Strategy

Event Management

September 6, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of hybrid and virtual events. This led to a quick shift in how to approach one’s virtual event marketing strategy. For most event organizers and businesses that rely on heavy foot traffic for exposure at conferences, the digital transformation was embraced more out of necessity than fervent interest. Event organizers knew they had to adapt quickly or businesses would crumble.

Now, as large-scale conferences and events have returned en masse, many won’t think twice about returning to an event hosted on Zoom or Teams. However, it cannot be denied that virtual and hybrid events have provided several inherent advantages, even in, dare we say, ‘normal’ times. In 2022, statistics show that virtual events still held a firm place in the industry.

Virtual and Hybrid Events Are Hardly Relics of the Past

For startup founders and small business owners, virtual conferences allow participation you may not have been able to afford with traditional in-person events. Without the need for travel and lodging costs, digital events open up valuable networking, learning, and partnership opportunities.

By incorporating digital elements into face-to-face events, organizers can expand reach, provide scheduling flexibility, interact with global audiences in multiple time zones, and effectively manage costs. Hybrid approaches fuse the power of in-person networking with the convenience of remote access.

With COVID restrictions a thing of the past, event organizers may still find that the virtual or hybrid approach is worth considering. Marketing these types of events can be pivotal to drawing huge numbers of registrations and high levels of engagement. If you’re considering marketing a hybrid or virtual event in the near future, consider these eight keys to success as part of your advertising strategy.

1. Optimize Website and Registration Pages

Your event website and registration platform are often the first touchpoints for potential attendees, as well as keynote speakers or sponsors.

Ensure that your web pages convey professionalism while ‌optimizing for conversions. Include clear calls-to-action, engaging and benefit-driven copy, high-quality images, and seamless user experience. Ensure that your pages load quickly on both desktop and mobile devices and do not overlook the integration with your CRM system for event registrations.

Provide all the details participants need on speakers, agenda, schedules, directions (if hybrid) and sponsorship opportunities. Prominently display perks and offers like exclusive access or discounts to encourage sign-ups. Your website is the first point of call for many attendees. Given its significance, ensure your website functions flawlessly and delivers an intuitive user experience.

2. Use Social Media Wisely

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook allow you to distribute organic, promotional content, along with targeted sponsored posts and advertisements to your ideal audience and demographics.

Use your social channels to share speaker announcements, post agenda sneak peeks, and run special discounted ticket promotions in the months leading up to the event. This will encourage sign-ups and movement to your website for conversions, as well as social sharing and engagement through relevant prompts and hashtags.

If used correctly, social media can be a convenient asset to your event marketing strategy.

3. Produce Engaging Visual Assets

Compelling visuals like video clips, sizzle reels, photo galleries, and speaker interview videos can capture interest and convey the unique experience of your hybrid or virtual event.

Invest in professional, high-quality assets – they will pay dividends in your multi-channel promotions. Instead of using tried-and-tested stock images that don’t accurately convey your event style and scale, consider taking original photos and videos to create unique, compelling content that adds value to your website pages and social media.

To affordably create visuals even on a modest budget, consider investing in a used camera or videography equipment that does what you need it to do. Excellent, polished visuals are crucial for any marketing strategy.

4. Leverage Influencers and Earned Media

Influencer marketing taps into the social media platforms where your industry thought leaders are most active. Identify relevant influencers and content creators to feature on panels, give them exclusive access or behind-the-scenes views, and provide multi-channel promotion opportunities in exchange for their own organic promotions. Carefully select the influencers that can add value to your event and won’t charge extortionate commission fees.

Similarly, build relationships with journalists and reporters at key industry publications. Pitch them on profiling your distinguished speakers or covering important panels before and during your event, and ask for roundups or summaries of the event after it’s concluded. The valuable pre-event exposure and hype could prove instrumental in attracting more attendees to your event.

5. Implement Retargeting Ad Campaigns

Retargeting ads on platforms like Google and Facebook allow you to re-engage previous website visitors who left without registering or converting. This is a valuable and often overlooked component of digital marketing that can push more of your audience further down your sales funnel.

Create customized advertisements that promote early pricing, marquee speakers, or exclusive discounts, while being mindful of their existing awareness and familiarity with your brand.

Don’t rehash the same, top-of-the-funnel marketing content that drew them to your site or platform in the first place. Create unique, compelling and dynamic content that addresses their needs whatever stage they’re in. These engaging digital ads allow you to target your promotional messaging at those who are interested and aware of your brand but need a little more convincing to convert.

6. Implement Segmented Email Campaigns

Email marketing remains one of the most effective digital channels, and allows for more personalized outreach at scale. Send a series of targeted emails to your existing subscribers and attendees highlighting relevant event details, speakers, and special offers that align with each group’s interests.

Students, corporate teams, solo entrepreneurs, exhibitors, and others will suit specific – or a series of – target demographics. Emails should inspire engagement and drive conversions, provided that the content is aimed at the right groups.

7. Strategically Offer Discounts and Perks

Special offers and perks can further incentivize event sign-ups and sponsorship partnerships.

Consider early bird pricing, flat group discounts for teams, exclusive bonuses like access to an invite-only VIP reception, or special giveaways for the first 30 registrants, as examples. Free tickets for students and nonprofits also help build positive brand exposure and expand your reach.

You can also promote exclusive discounts and perks through sponsors and partners. For example, partnering with a ticket distributor where attendees can save money and enter into a prize draw, as an example, can be a good incentive. The key is aligning each perk with the appropriate target segment.

8. Promote Safety for Any In-Person Elements

If your event includes an in-person component, prominently promote up to date health and safety measures on your website and in promotions. Some attendees still require reassurance and peace of mind, and their concerns will be eased knowing that sufficient protocols are being taken, such as air filtration and sanitization.

Hybrid events allow digital access options, providing flexibility for those still hesitant about participating in person. Promote this flexibility while highlighting your commitment to safety.

With the right digital marketing strategy, hybrid and virtual events can help you expand your reach and engagement beyond what’s possible with in-person-only events. Follow the above tips to spark some ideas for getting creative when targeting your audience across several marketing channels.

If done right, your next hybrid or online event can be a resounding success that delivers an exceptional experience whether your attendees are participating online or in person. Over time, building a recognizable and trusted brand in the art of hybrid and virtual events is well on the horizon.

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How Virtual & Hybrid Events Are the Future of Corporate Meetings And Events

Event Trends

February 26, 2021

“Hybrid events combine face-to-face and virtual audiences and allow you to share your content across a much broader audience. With appropriate use of back channels, either private within the media forum or other social channels, a hybrid has the power to connect across borders and boundaries. In our current state of never enough time or money to do it all, hybrid events offer a great solution for bringing together the largest audience”. From Intentional Event Design. Our Professional Opportunity, 2017.

Nobody could have expected it would take a global pandemic for the world to shift to virtual, and eventually hybrid events, making this more valid today as we consider re-entry from digital/virtual to our first live events where we anticipate ‘hybrid is our future’.

With varied views on when we will return to live events, virtual events have allowed corporations to stay connected to their teams, clients and customers and the numbers show this will continue.

The numbers don’t lie.

In the January 2021 Report by the Event Manager Blog based on a survey of 5,000 event professionals 67 percent of respondents agree that hybrid is the future of events, and 71 percent said that they would continue to employ a digital strategy even after live events return.

But the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

The 2020 January Dashboard from PCMA shows the frustration with hybrid. Planners who are budgeting for a hybrid event are finding the costs more difficult to justify: 44 percent said it was their top challenge in January vs. 37 percent in December. As one planner said, the issue is trying to design hybrid events “that are not double the expense and effort. Otherwise, live events won’t happen until the pandemic is over and digital will be a piece of the live event, but not the same production quality and effort of an all-digital event. Unless vendors can come up with a way to make that affordable, the large in-person meetings will continue to languish as it’s not commercially feasible to do both well right now.”

The reality of home-based, remote workers and digital nomads underlaying many global workforces requires corporations to think differently about meetings and events going forward. As noted above there does need to be an understanding that:

a virtual event is not free and investment in the tools that do these well and the people trained to deliver are critical
a hybrid event requires two teams – one focused on the digital event and one focused on the live event
you need someone paying attention to the production that delivers the meaningful intersection of these two
face-to-face events where trust is built and planned and serendipitous dialogues are key elements will remain a core business driver in the future, but can benefit from augmenting with the above

How are they the future? One step at a time, one event at a time. Back to the basics.

Why are you meeting? Once you have defined the purpose you can work with your stakeholders to determine the best approach.
Who is your audience? Internal, external, a combination. How many people do you need to reach? Are you sharing top-down messages, offering a connection and teambuilding opportunity, seeking space for dialogue and innovation? Some of these will be BEST face-to-face but with forethought can be accomplished virtually.
How can you best accomplish the goals at hand? Will it work to connect a live audience or live pods or are you best to have individual virtual connections? Do you need a particular type of platform to enable visual sharing for collaboration or one where you can create a sponsor hall? Are you looking for planned networking where you choose who meets or serendipitous networking where the individuals are either randomized or can float avatars between groups of people? These are all examples of options we have available.
Where it requires a home base and with a global audience understanding the When – I have learned over this past year there is no such thing as a ‘good two-hour window’ when dealing with a global audience. Consider what needs to be live, what can be recorded and shared later, and the best time to reach the maximum amount of the largest audience share.

For example, delivering a message top down to a global audience – virtual lets you do this easily, in real time and hybrid lets you bring together an appropriately sized regional, national or global audience under one roof and then extend the message with hybrid delivering the messaging to offices, pods or individuals who log in to hear the message in real time still creating a sense of unity.

These will continue to have a place going forward. Meetings, typically more of a business focus are easier to translate. Events, which by their nature have more components that create connection and build the feeling of being part of a tribe will benefit the most from the return to live to deliver maximum benefits. Collectively, the event creators and the platform designers will continue to get better at the ideation and delivery of cool, heartfelt digital events that create meaningful and memorable participant experiences.

This article was written exclusively for Attendease, written by Tahira Endean, CITP, CMP, DES, CED – Head of Events, SITE global.